Tim Smith Bugalugs Grenache 2020
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"Bugalug" is an Australian term of endearment for a young person. This Bugalug Grenache has rich dark cherry aromas along with plums, black pepper, thyme and a splash of coffee. Medium bodied and fleshed out with soft, rounded fruit flavors, dried herbs and earthy nuances.
The thumbprint on Tim Smith's wine is his guarantee that these wines past muster. If they don’t meet his standards, they are not released.
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Wine & Spirits
This is grenache grown in sand, the vines planted in 1950, with a small contribution from mataro vines planted in 1880. Spontaneously fermented, it delivers a weird and wild savory red with cured-meat notes, scents of green olive and capers all contributing to an umami impression you can breathe. Right now, it’s as salty and savory as MSG, needing time for the fruit to come forward.
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James
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He chose God’s-Own-Barossa as his home, on account of its dream combination of the right region and the right varieties. Within this region, old vine Mataro, Grenache, Shiraz and Riesling are found in small pockets, and Tim turns these ‘gardens’ into something special. A combination of age old varieties and clones, plus the myriad of soil structures and elevations within this famous region, makes it a winemakers’ playground.
All Tim Smith wines are made with small select parcels of high quality fruit and are made in small batches of 250-700 cases. The mantra for the brand is that if it does not bear the Tim Smith ‘Thumbprint’ then it is does not meet the quality standard.
Grenache thrives in any warm, Mediterranean climate where ample sunlight allows its clusters to achieve full phenolic ripeness. While Grenache's birthplace is Spain (there called Garnacha), today it is more recognized as the key player in the red blends of the Southern Rhône, namely Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and its villages. Somm Secret—The Italian island of Sardinia produces bold, rustic, single varietal Grenache (there called Cannonau). California, Washington and Australia have achieved found success with Grenache, both flying solo and in blends.
The Barossa Zone encompasses the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Some of the oldest vines in Australia can be found here.
Barossa Valley of course is the most important and famous wine growing region in all of Australia where 140+ year-old, dry-farmed Shiraz vines still produce inky, purple and dense juice for some of Australia's best wines.
In the cooler, wetter Eden Valley sub-region, the Hill of Grace vineyard is home to famous Shiraz vines from the 1800s but the region produces also some of Australia’s very best and age-worthy Rieslings.